What year was scuba discovered? Many people will say the 1860s, but when was scuba really invented? Let's start with the earliest scuba equipment. Emile Gagnan (Jacques Cousteau), and many other pioneers have played important roles in the evolution scuba diving. These pioneers helped open the door to freedom of navigation. But who is responsible? Who was responsible for the development of the first regulator for scuba diving?
Jacques Cousteau
In the 1960s, Jacques Cousteau took part in a program called Conshelf Saturation Dive. It was intended to test the feasibility of living underwater for prolonged periods. Five divers took part in the experiments. They were documented in a film called World Without Sun. The ultimate goal of ocean exploration is now possible thanks to the development of scuba equipment. Nowadays, robotic undersea bots perform this task, and Cousteau’s documentary won Academy Award #3 for Best Documentary.
Emile Gagnan
Scuba was developed by Emile Gagnan in France, who was working on valve designs for Paris's compressed gas company. He realized that divers in the water were at risk for developing nitrogen narcosis. This can lead to extreme pain and a bizarre behavior. Gagnan and Cousteau collaborated to design a machine that would enable people to survive underwater. They knew that oxygen-pressure regulation would be the key to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss - a London-based diver engineer - invented Scuba in 1861. Fleuss created a diving helmet with a spout which could be filled with compressed oxygen. It also contained a bag that could hold a caustic potassium solution. This sealed circuit allowed divers to inhale air for up three hours.
1860s scuba regulator
Scuba regulators from the 1860s were far removed from modern technology. They were created by Auguste Denayrouze and Benoit Rouquayrol. Benoit Rouquayrol designed the demand valve. At first, it was used in smoky places and poisonous mining areas. It was later modified to be suitable for diving. In 1865, the Rouquayrol-Denayrouze apparatus became a mass-produced product and was adopted as a French Navy standard. The French diving community didn't accept the invention of this regulator.
Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus
R. H. Davis was the inventor of Davis Submerged rescue apparatus, or Davis scuba. It consisted of a rubber breathing and buoyancy bag, a canister of barium hydroxide, and a steel pressure cylinder containing 56 litres of oxygen at 120 bar. This was connected with the breathing bag. It was charged by the water pressure around it. The Davis scuba rig was the first commercially-available rebreather, and it was used for submarine escapes in the First World War. It was also used to do industrial diving.
1860s scuba goggles
Dive gear in the 1860s wasn't as advanced as it is today. Divers used to use wooden or glass helmets for protection against water pressure before the invention of scuba goggles. Otis Barton, a wealthy man, was one of two families that had tried underwater exploration as a hobby. Barton used a makeshift helmet as a diving helmet to swim around Massachusetts' waters and was weighed down by rocks.
Deane brothers Scuba System
In 1829, the Deane brothers started testing their underwater apparatus. The scuba system consisted primarily of a helmet and breathing apparatus. The Deane brothers' system was a great invention. Soon, the brothers were able to start a thriving business. Their invention led to the first diving manual, The Method of Using Deane Brothers' Patent Diving Apparatus, which detailed the functions of the apparatus, as well as provided instructions for safety.
1860s scuba reservoir
Using compressed air as a scuba reservoir was first invented in the 1860s by Benoit Rouquayrol. Rouquayrol had already invented the "demand regulator" for underground mines and smoke-filled rooms. Auguste Denayrouze applied Rouquayrol’s design to underwater diving in 1864. The principle behind this device still holds true today. The modern regulator for scuba diving uses a similar system.